Photoelectric conversion apparatus and image pickup system using photoelectric conversion apparatus

ABSTRACT

It is a main object of the present invention to suppress the differences of color ratios of B/G and R/G when the film thicknesses of antireflective films and insulation films vary at a processing process. The present invention is a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of light receiving portions arranged on a semiconductor substrate, antireflective films formed on the light receiving portions with insulation films put between them, and color filter layers of a plurality of colors formed on the antireflective films, wherein film thicknesses of the insulation films and/or the antireflective films are changed such that changing directions of spectral transmittances at peak wavelengths of color filters on sides of the shortest wavelengths and at peak wavelengths of color filters on sides of the longest wavelengths after transmission of infrared cutting filters may be the same before and after changes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion apparatusand an image pickup system, and more particularly to a photoelectricconversion apparatus and an image pickup system both of which include aplurality of light receiving portions arrange on a semiconductorsubstrate, an antireflective film formed above the light receivingportions with an insulation film put between them, and color filterlayers of a plurality of colors formed on the antireflective film.

2. Description of Related Art

As a solid state image pickup device, a charge coupled device (CCD) typephotoelectric conversion element has conventionally been used in manycases. However, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) typephotoelectric conversion element has been reconsidered recently, and atrend of commercialization of product of the CMOS type photoelectricconversion element has been generated owing to the merits of the CMOStype photoelectric conversion element such as its power consumptionlower than that of the CCD type photoelectric conversion element, itsoperability of the use of a single power supply, and its producibilityof its light receiving portion and its peripheral circuits by the sameCMOS process, which makes it easy to integrate the CMOS typephotoelectric conversion element.

As the configuration of a conventional solid state image pickup device,for example, there is one proposed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2000-12822. An example of the pixel configuration of thedisclosed metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) type solid state image pickupdevice is shown in FIG. 9. The MOS type solid state image pickup deviceshown in FIG. 9 is a solid state image pickup device adopting a methodin which signal charges are transferred from light receiving portions todetection portions to output potential changes generated by thedetection portions. Each pixel of the MOS type solid state image pickupdevice is composed of a light receiving portion and four transistors ofa transfer transistor, an amplifying transistor, a reset transistor anda selection transistor. The transfer transistor is a MOS transistorcomposed of a light receiving portion 43, a detection portion 44 a, bothof which are n type diffusion regions formed in a p type siliconsubstrate 40, and a transfer gate electrode 42 formed above the siliconsubstrate between both the regions with an insulation film 41 putbetween the transfer gate electrode 42 and the silicon substrate. Thetransfer transistor uses the light receiving portion 43 and thedetection portion 44 a as its source and its drain, respectively.

An antireflective film 45 a is formed above the light receiving portion43 with the insulation film 41 put between them. In such aconfiguration, by the interference caused by the antireflective film 45a (silicon nitride film) and the insulation film (silicon oxide film)41, and by the interference caused by the films including theabove-mentioned two films and an interlayer insulation film formed abovethe two films, the reflection of light at an interface between thesilicon and the silicon oxide film is suppressed to enable thesensitivity to be improved. A reference numeral 46 a denotes aninsulation film (silicon oxide film); a reference numeral 44 b denotesan electric field relief region; reference numerals 45 b and 46 b denoteside insulation films (silicon nitride film and silicon oxide film).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, the present inventor found that there was a problem that thevariation of the film thicknesses of the antireflective films and thevariation of the film thicknesses of the insulation films were producedowing to the variation of the film thicknesses at processing processesand the light transmittance changes according to wavelengths to producethe differences of color ratios of B/G and R/G in the case where a colorfilter is formed on the antireflective film of the configuration of theabove-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-12822.

It is an object of the present invention to propose a designingtechnique of an antireflective film in which no differences of the colorratios of B/G and R/G are produced to realize a photoelectric conversionapparatus having a good color reproducibility even when the filmthicknesses of antireflective films and insulation films vary atprocessing processes.

For achieving the above-mentioned object, the present invention is aphotoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of lightreceiving portions arranged on a semiconductor substrate, antireflectivefilms formed on the light receiving portions, and color filter layers ofa plurality of colors formed on the antireflective films, wherein filmthicknesses of the antireflective films are changed such that changingdirections of spectral transmittances at peak wavelengths of colorfilters on sides of the shortest wavelengths and at peak wavelengths ofcolor filters on sides of the longest wavelengths after transmission ofinfrared cutting filters may be the same before and after changes.

Moreover, the present invention is a photoelectric conversion apparatusincluding a plurality of light receiving portions arranged on asemiconductor substrate, antireflective films formed on the lightreceiving portions, and color filter layers of a plurality of colors,the color filter layers formed on the antireflective films, wherein theantireflective films are severally made of a silicon nitride film havinga film thickness within a range from 25 nm to 40 nm, and silicon oxidefilms each having a film thickness of 8 nm or less are formed betweenthe light receiving portions and the antireflective films.

Moreover, the present invention is a photoelectric conversion apparatusincluding a plurality of light receiving portions arranged on asemiconductor substrate, antireflective films formed on the lightreceiving portions, and color filter layers of a plurality of colors,the color filter layers formed on the antireflective films, wherein theantireflective films are severally made of a silicon oxynitride filmhaving a film thickness within a range from 40 nm to 60 nm, and siliconoxide films each having a film thickness of 8 nm or less are formedbetween the light receiving portions and the antireflective films.

In the present invention, the antireflective films are films forsuppressing reflection on a substrate surface, which reflection iscaused by a difference of refractive indices of the substrate and theinsulation films, and the antireflective films are films for suppressingreflection on a substrate surface, which reflection is caused by adifference of refractive indices of the substrate and the antireflectivefilms, in the case where the insulation films are not formed between theantireflective films and the substrate.

According to the present invention, no differences of color ratiosbetween B/G and R/G are produced even when film thicknesses ofantireflective films and insulation films vary at processing processes,and a photoelectric conversion apparatus having a good colorreproducibility can be realized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing the configuration of a photoelectric conversionapparatus of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram of spectral transmittances in thecase where the film thickness of a silicon oxide film as an insulationfilm is 8 nm and the film thickness of a silicon nitride film as anantireflective film is 40 nm;

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram of spectral transmittances as a firstcomparative example in the case where the film thickness of a siliconoxide film as an insulation film is 8 nm and the film thickness of asilicon nitride film as an antireflective film is 50 nm;

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram of spectral transmittances as asecond comparative example in the case where the film thickness of asilicon oxide film as an insulation film is 10 nm and the film thicknessof a silicon nitride film as an antireflective film is 40 nm;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a designing technique according to a firstexample of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a designing technique according to a secondexample of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a designing technique according to a thirdexample of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a case where a solid state imagepickup apparatus of the present invention is applied to a still videocamera;

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional solid stateimage pickup apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a designing techniqueaccording to a conventional antireflective film; and

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a principle of the increase of colorvariations in a conventional example.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following, the attached drawings are referred to while thepreferred embodiments of the present invention are described.

First, the circumstances of the achievement of the present invention aredescribed. An example of the conventional designing technique of thefilm thicknesses of an insulation film and an antireflective film isshown in FIG. 10. The ordinate axis of the graph is transmittance (%),and the abscissas axis of the graph is wavelength (μm). The diagramshows how much of the incident light of each wavelength is transmittedto reach a light receiving portion. A reference numeral 501 denotes aspectral characteristic in case of no antireflective films are used, anda reference numeral 502 denotes a spectral characteristic afterdesigning the optimal value of the antireflective film.

In the conventional designing technique, designing has been performed toadopt a combination of the thicknesses of the antireflective film 45 aand the insulation film 41 in order to show the characteristic which isdenoted by the reference numeral 502 in FIG. 10 and is one in which thetransmittance (sensitivity) of the wavelength takes the maximum value atthe center (near to green). The reason why the conventional designingtechnique has taken the designing is that the rise of the sensitivity atthe central frequency (near to green) would raise the sensitivities atthe short wavelength side (near to blue) and the long wavelength side(near to red) at the same time.

The present inventor found the following fact. That is to say, when theantireflective films 45 a and the insulation films 41 are manufacturedby the above-mentioned designing technique, the variations of the filmthicknesses of the antireflective films 45 a and the insulation films 41are produced owing to the unevenness of etching at the time of etching agate oxide film and the unevenness of deposition at the time ofdepositing the antireflective film in the processing processes. Thedifferences of color ratios of B/G and R/G become large owing to thevariations of the film thicknesses, and then the color reproducibilityof sensors becomes bad.

Table 1 shows variations of color ratios of sensors manufactured by theconventional technique (at the time of supposing that B=450 nm, G=550 nmand R=630 nm). The standard deviation value of ten chips extractedrandomly is expressed by σ.

According to the conventional technique, the variation of B/G is 4.28%at the time of being expressed by the σ, and the variation of R/G is4.83% at the time of being expressed by the σ.

TABLE 1 CHIP B/G R/G 1 1.02 0.95 2 1.05 0.94 3 1.05 0.96 4 0.97 1.03 51.04 0.99 6 1.08 0.94 7 0.98 1.06 8 1.01 1 9 0.95 1.04 10  1.06 0.92 σ0.0428 0.0483

FIG. 11 shows the principle of the enlargement of the variations. Adotted line 601 indicates a spectral characteristic at the time ofdesigning the antireflective film to have the optimum value. A solidline 602 indicates a spectral characteristic at the time when theantireflective film varies toward the thinner direction. A solid line603 indicates a spectral characteristic at the time when theantireflective film varies toward the thicker direction. When theantireflective film is designed in accordance with the conventionaltechnique, a point 604 where the spectral curve at the time when thefilm thickness of the antireflective film varies toward the thinnerdirection and the spectral curve at the time when the film thickness ofthe antireflective film varies toward the thicker direction of theantireflective film intersect with each other exists at a wavelengthnear to 550 nm. At the cross point, changing directions on the blue sideand the red side reverse. Consequently, when a variation is produced infilm thicknesses, the transmittance at a point G (550 nm) does notchange so much, but the transmittances at points B (450 nm) and R (630nm) change greatly. Consequently, large differences of values of colorratios B/G and R/G are produced, and the differences make the colorreproducibility bad.

On the basis of the circumstances described above, the present inventorvaried film thicknesses of the insulation films and the antireflectivefilms, and examined them. Consequently, the inventor found that the filmthicknesses of the insulation films and the antireflective films couldbe set in order that the changing directions of the spectraltransmittances might be the same at the peak wavelength of the colorfilter on the side of the shortest wavelength and on the side of thelongest wavelength after the transmission of an infrared cutting filter.To put it more concretely, the inventor found that the changingdirections of the spectral transmittances were the same when the filmthickness of a silicon oxide film used as the insulation film is 8 nm orless and the film thickness of a silicon nitride film used as theantireflective film is within a range from 25 nm to 40 nm. Moreover, theinventor also found that the changing directions of the spectraltransmittances were the same when the film thickness of a silicon oxidefilm used as the insulation film is 8 nm or less and the film thicknessof a silicon oxynitride film used as the antireflective film is within arange from 40 nm to 60 nm.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a photoelectric conversion apparatusof the present embodiment. The photoelectric conversion apparatus of thepresent embodiment adopts a configuration made by providing an Al wiringlayer 33 above the solid state image pickup apparatus of the JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-12822, shown in FIG. 9, with aninterlayer film (SiO₂) 30 put between them, and by providing an Alwiring layer 34 above the Al wiring layer 33 with an interlayer film(SiO₂) 31 put between them, and further by providing a flattening layer35, a color filter (CF) layer 36 and a flattening layer 37 above the Alwiring layer 34 with an interlayer film (SiO₂) 32 put between them. Thephotoelectric conversion apparatus is further provided with a microlens38. The same configuration members as those of the solid state imagepickup apparatus of FIG. 9 are here denoted by the same reference marksas those in FIG. 9, and their descriptions are omitted.

However, in the case where the decrease of the reflection light shouldbe first considered rather than the problems pertaining to processessuch as the increase of dark currents in pixels and the increase ofwhite spots, the insulation film 41 is not always formed on the lightreceiving portion 43. This fact is applied to all of the examplesdescribed in the following.

FIG. 2 is a spatial transmittance characteristic diagram of anembodiment of the present invention, in which the thicknesses of theinsulation film and the antireflective film are within theabove-mentioned range. That is to say, FIG. 2 shows the spectraltransmittances in the case where the thickness of a silicon oxide filmas the insulation film is 8 nm and the thickness of a silicon nitridefilm as the antireflective film is 40 nm. FIG. 3 is a spectraltransmittance characteristic diagram as a first comparative example, inwhich the thickness of the silicon oxide film as the insulation film is8 nm and the thickness of the silicon nitride film as the antireflectivefilm is 50 nm. FIG. 4 is a spectral transmittance characteristic diagramas a second comparative example, in which the thickness of the siliconoxide film as the insulation film is 10 nm and the thickness of thesilicon nitride film as the antireflective film is 40 nm. A referencenumeral 51 denotes a spectral characteristic in the case where theantireflective film has a designed thickness value. A reference numeral52 denotes a spectral characteristic in the case where theantireflective film becomes thicker by 10% owing to a variation. Areference numeral 53 denotes a spectral characteristic in the case wherethe antireflective film becomes thinner by 10% owing to a variation. Areference numeral 54 denotes a spectral characteristic of a blue colorfilter. A reference numeral 55 denotes a spectral characteristic of agreen color filter. A reference numeral 56 denotes a spectralcharacteristic of a red color filter after the transmission of aninfrared cutting filter. The peak wavelengths of the respective filtersare 450 nm, 550 nm and 630 nm in the blue color filter, the green colorfilter and the red color filter, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, as long as the film thicknesses of the insulationfilm and the antireflective film are within the above-mentioned range ofthe embodiment of the present invention, the changing directions of thespectral characteristics between the peak wavelengths of 450 nm and 630nm of the blue color filter and the red color filter, respectively, arethe same. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the casewhere the film thicknesses of the insulation film and the antireflectivefilm are out of the above-mentioned range of the embodiment of thepresent invention, it can be found that the changing directions of thespectral characteristics between the peak wavelengths of 450 nm and 630nm of the blue color filter and the red color filter, respectively, arenot the same, and that the changing directions of the blue side and thered side are reversed.

Example 1

In accordance with claim 1 of the present invention, after theinsulation film of the photoelectric conversion apparatus of FIG. 1 wasformed to be 8 nm thick as a silicon oxide film and the antireflectivefilm was formed to be 30 nm thick as a silicon nitride film, wiringlayers were formed. Thereby, a photoelectric conversion apparatusincluding formed color filter layers of red, green and blue was made.The present example was made to have a variation in the antireflectivefilm. FIG. 5 shows a spectral characteristic of the present example. Areference numeral 101 denotes a spectral characteristic in the casewhere the antireflective film takes a designed value (30 nm). Areference numeral 102 denotes a spectral characteristic in the casewhere the antireflective film is thicker by 10% (33 nm) owing to avariation. A reference numeral 103 denotes a spectral characteristic inthe case where the antireflective film is thinner by 10% (27 nm) owingto a variation. A reference numeral 104 denotes the spectralcharacteristic of the blue color filter. A reference numeral 105 denotesthe spectral characteristic of the green color filter. A referencenumeral 106 denotes the spectral characteristic of the red color filterafter the transmission of an infrared cutting filter. The peakwavelength of each filter of blue, green and red is: 450 nm, 550 nm and630 nm, respectively.

The spectral characteristics of the photoelectric conversion apparatusmade under the above-mentioned conditions are ones shown in FIG. 5. Thespectral characteristics has a feature such that the changing directionsof the spectral characteristic (102) in the case where theantireflective film is thicker by 10% and the spectral characteristic(103) in the case where the antireflective film is thinner by 10% arethe same between the peak wavelength 450 nm of blue and the peakwavelength 630 nm of red. This tendency was especially notable when thefilm thickness of the antireflective film was within a range from 25 nmto 40 nm. In the case where the silicon oxide film was not providedbelow the antireflective film, also the same tendency was exhibited.

Table 2 shows variations of color ratios of a sensor made by thetechnique of Example 1. (It is supposed that B=450 nm, G=550 nm andR=630 nm.) Ten chips were randomly extracted, and the values of B/G andR/G of each chip were measured. The standard deviation values σ of theten chips were obtained to the respective R/G and B/G. By the techniqueof Example 1, the variation of the B/G was 0.99% when being expressed byσ, and the variation of the R/G was 0.94% when being expressed by σ.

TABLE 2 CHIP B/G R/G 1 1.01 1.00 2 1.00 0.99 3 1.00 1.01 4 0.99 1.00 50.98 1.02 6 1.01 1.00 7 1.00 0.99 8 1.01 0.99 9 1.00 1.00 10  0.99 1.00σ 0.0099 0.0094

Because the changing directions of the spectral transmissions are thesame between the peak wavelength of blue and the peak wavelength of redby the technique of Example 1, the color ratio variations were improvedby 3% in comparison with that by the conventional technique (Table 1).Consequently, a photoelectric conversion apparatus having better colorreproducibility in comparison with the one by the conventional techniquewas realized.

Example 2

In accordance with claim 1 of the present invention, after theinsulation film of the photoelectric conversion apparatus of FIG. 1 wasformed to be 8 nm thick as a silicon oxide film and the antireflectivefilm was formed to be 30 nm thick as a silicon nitride film, wiringlayers were formed. Thereby, a photoelectric conversion apparatusincluding formed color filter layers of red, green and blue was made.The present example was made to have a variation in the antireflectivefilm. FIG. 6 shows a spectral characteristic of the present example. Areference numeral 201 denotes a spectral characteristic in the casewhere the antireflective film takes a designed value (8 nm). A referencenumeral 202 denotes a spectral characteristic in the case where theantireflective film is thicker by 10% owing to a variation. A referencenumeral 203 denotes a spectral characteristic in the case where theantireflective film is thinner by 10% owing to a variation. A referencenumeral 204 denotes the spectral characteristic of the blue colorfilter. A reference numeral 205 denotes the spectral characteristic ofthe green color filter. A reference numeral 106 denotes the spectralcharacteristic of the red color filter after the transmission of aninfrared cut filter. The peak wavelength of each filter of blue, greenand red is: 450 nm, 550 nm and 630 nm, respectively.

The spectral characteristics of the photoelectric conversion apparatusmade under the above-mentioned conditions are ones shown in FIG. 6. Thespectral characteristics has a feature such that the changing directionsare the same between the peak wavelength 450 nm of blue and the peakwavelength 630 nm of red even if the insulating films were varied. Thistendency was especially notable when the film thickness of theantireflective film was within a range from 6 nm to 8 nm. In the casewhere the silicon oxide film was not provided below the antireflectivefilm, also the same tendency was exhibited.

Table 3 shows variations of color ratios of a sensor made by thetechnique of Example 2. (It is supposed that B=450 nm, G=550 nm andR=630 nm.) Ten chips were randomly extracted, and the values of B/G andR/G of each chip were measured. The standard deviation values σ of theten chips were obtained to the respective R/G and B/G. By the techniqueof Example 2, the variation of the B/G was 0.57% when being expressed byσ, and the variation of the R/G was 0.67% when being expressed by σ.

TABLE 3 CHIP B/G R/G 1 1.00 1.00 2 1.00 0.99 3 1.00 1.00 4 0.99 1.00 51.00 1.00 6 1.01 1.00 7 1.00 1.01 8 1.00 0.99 9 0.99 1.00 10  1.00 1.01σ 0.0057 0.0067

Because the changing directions of the spectral transmissions are thesame between the peak wavelength of blue and the peak wavelength of redby the technique of Example 2, the color ratio variations were improvedby 3.5% or more in comparison with those by the conventional technique(Table 1). Consequently, a photoelectric conversion apparatus havingbetter color reproducibility in comparison with the one by theconventional technique was realized.

Example 3

In accordance with claim 1 of the present invention, the insulation filmof the photoelectric conversion apparatus of FIG. 1 was formed to be 8nm thick as a silicon oxide film (n=1.66), and the antireflective filmwas formed to be 50 nm thick as a silicon oxynitride film. After that,wiring layers were formed. Thereby, a photoelectric conversion apparatusincluding formed color filter layers of red, green and blue was made.The present example was made to have variations in the antireflectivefilm and in the insulation film. FIG. 7 shows spectral characteristicsof the present example. A reference numeral 301 denotes a spectralcharacteristic in the case where the antireflective film takes adesigned value. A reference numeral 302 denotes a spectralcharacteristic in the case where the antireflective film and theinsulation film are severally thicker by 10% owing to a variation. Areference numeral 303 denotes a spectral characteristic in the casewhere the antireflective film and the insulation film are severallythinner by 10% owing to a variation. A reference numeral 304 denotes thespectral characteristic of the blue color filter. A reference numeral305 denotes the spectral characteristic of the green color filter. Areference numeral 306 denotes the spectral characteristic of the redcolor filter. The peak wavelength of each filter of blue, green and redis: 450 nm, 550 nm and 630 nm, respectively.

The spectral characteristics of the photoelectric conversion apparatusmade under the above-mentioned conditions are ones shown in FIG. 7. Thespectral characteristics has a feature such that the changing directionsof the spectral characteristic (302) in the case where theantireflective film and the insulation film are thicker by 10% andspectral characteristic (303) in the case where the antireflective filmand the insulation film are thinner by 10% are the same between the peakwavelength 450 nm of blue and the peak wavelength 630 nm of red. Thistendency was especially notable when the film thickness of theinsulation film was within a range from 6 nm to 8 nm and theantireflective film was within a range from 40 nm to 60 nm. In the casewhere the silicon oxide film was not provided below the antireflectivefilm, also the same tendency was exhibited.

Table 4 shows variations of color ratios of a sensor made by thetechnique of Example 3. (It is supposed that B=450 nm, G=550 nm andR=630 nm.) Ten chips were randomly extracted, and the values of B/G andR/G of each chip were measured. The standard deviation values σ of theten chips were obtained to the respective R/G and B/G. By the techniqueof Example 3, the variation of the B/G was 1.60% when being expressed byσ, and the variation of the R/G was 1.42% when being expressed by σ.

TABLE 4 CHIP B/G R/G 1 1.02 0.98 2 1.00 0.99 3 0.98 1.01 4 0.99 1.01 51.00 1.00 6 1.01 0.98 7 1.03 0.97 8 1.00 0.99 9 0.98 1.01 10  1.00 0.99σ 0.0160 0.0142

Because the changing directions of the spectral transmissions are thesame between the peak wavelength of blue and the peak wavelength of redby the technique of Example 3, the color ratio variations were improvedby 3.5% or more in comparison with those by the conventional technique(Table 1) when being expressed by σ. Consequently, a photoelectricconversion apparatus having better color reproducibility in comparisonwith the one by the conventional technique was realized.

Next, an image pickup system using the above-mentioned photoelectricconversion apparatus is described. Referring to FIG. 8, the details ofan embodiment in which the solid state image pickup device of thepresent invention is applied to a still camera are described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a case where the solid state imagepickup device is applied to a “still video camera.”

In FIG. 8, a reference numeral 1 denotes a barrier used as a protectionof a lens and also used as a main switch. A reference numeral 2 denotesa lens for forming an optical image of a subject on a solid state imagepickup device 4. A reference numeral 3 denotes a diaphragm for changingthe amount of light passing through the lens 2. The reference numeral 4denotes the solid state image pickup device for taking the subjectimaged by the lens 2 as an image signal. A reference numeral 5 denotes acircuit processing image pickup signal. A reference numeral 6 denotes anA/D converter for performing the analog-digital conversion of an imagesignal output from the solid state image pickup device 4. A referencenumeral 7 denotes a signal processing unit for performing variouscorrections of the image data output from the A/D converter 4 and forperforming the compression of the data. A reference numeral 8 denotes atiming generator for outputting various timing signals to the solidstate image pickup device 4, the circuit 5 processing image pick-upsignal, the A/D converter 6 and the signal processing unit 7. Areference numeral 9 denotes a unit of controlling whole and arithmeticoperation for controlling various operations and the whole of the stillcamera. A reference numeral 10 denotes a memory unit for storing imagedata temporarily. A reference numeral 11 denotes an interface unit forperforming the recording or the reading of a recording medium. Areference numeral 12 denotes the detachably mountable recording mediumsuch as a semiconductor memory for performing the recording or thereading of image data. A reference numeral 13 denotes an interface unitfor performing the communication with an external computer or the like.

Next the operation of the still video camera configured as above at thetime of photographing is described.

When the barrier 1 is opened, the main power source is turned on. Next,the power source of the control system is turned on. Furthermore, thepower source of the image pickup system circuits such as the A/Dconverter 6 is turned on.

Then, the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9 releasesthe diaphragm 3 for controlling light exposure. A signal output from thesolid state image pickup device 4 is converted by the A/D converter 6,and then is input to the signal processing unit 7. According to the dataof the signal processing unit 7, the unit of controlling whole andarithmetic operation 9 performs the operation of an exposure.

The unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9 judgesbrightness on the basis of a result of performing the photometry, andcontrols the diaphragm 3 according to the result of the judgment.

Next, the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9 extractshigh frequency components on the basis of the signal output from thesolid state image pickup device 4, and performs the arithmetic operationof the distance from the still video camera to a subject. After that,the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9 drives thelens, and judges whether to be focused or not. When the unit ofcontrolling whole and arithmetic operation 9 judges that the lens is notfocused, the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9 againdrives the lens and performs distance measuring.

After a focused state has been confirmed, the still video camera beginsan actual exposure. When the exposure has been completed, an imagesignal output from the solid state image pickup device 4 receives an A/Dconversion by the A/D converter 6. Then, the converted digital datapasses through the signal processing unit 7 to be written in the memoryunit by the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9.

After that, the data stored in the memory unit 10 is recorded in thedetachably mountable recording medium 12 such as a semiconductor memorythrough the I/F unit for controlling recording medium under the controlof the unit of controlling whole and arithmetic operation 9.Alternatively, the data stored in the memory unit 10 can be directlyinput to a computer or the like through the external I/F unit 13.

The present invention can be applied to an apparatus using an imagepickup apparatus (photoelectric conversion apparatus) mounting a colorfilter such as a video camera and a still camera.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No.2003-393978 filed on Nov. 25, 2003, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein.

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A method of designing antireflective films for aphotoelectric conversion apparatus that includes: a plurality of lightreceiving portions, an antireflective film arranged on each of theplurality of light receiving portions, and color filter layers of aplurality of colors arranged on each of the antireflective films, themethod comprising steps of: determining a thickness range ofantireflective films such that, within the determined thickness rangeand within a range of wavelengths that includes wavelengthscorresponding to a plurality of colors of color filter layers of aphotoelectric conversion apparatus, a transmittance of a relatively thinantireflective film is always less than a transmittance of a relativelythick antireflective film, or the transmittance of the relatively thinantireflective film is always greater than the transmittance of therelatively thick antireflective film; and designing an antireflectivefilm to be used in a photoelectric conversion apparatus based on thethickness range determined in the determining step.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the color filter layers include a bluefilter corresponding to a shortest wavelength within the range ofwavelengths and a red filter corresponding to a longest wavelength ofthe range of wavelengths.
 12. The method according to claim 10, whereinthe range of wavelengths is from about 450 nm to about 630 nm.
 13. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein the designed antireflective filmis a silicon nitride film, and the determined thickness range is fromabout 25 nm to about 40 mm.
 14. The method according to claim 10,wherein the designed antireflective film is a silicon oxide film and thedetermined thickness range is from about 40 nm to about 60 nm.
 15. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein a deviation in the determinedthickness range is from about plus 10% to about minus 10% of a meanthickness of the designed antireflective film.
 16. The method accordingto claim 10, wherein the photoelectric conversion apparatus includes asilicon oxide film under each of the antireflective films.
 17. Themethod according to claims 10, wherein the photoelectric conversionapparatus includes a silicon oxide film on each of the antireflectivefilms.